extinguish

verb

ik-ˈstiŋ-(g)wish How to pronounce extinguish (audio)
Definition of extinguishnext
1
as in to choke
to cause to cease burning the fire in the skillet was quickly extinguished by slamming the lid on

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to destroy
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of a fatal blunder that extinguished all hope that the team would actually win the play-offs

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to shush
to stop the noise or speech of her final, telling point extinguished her opponents on the city council

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of extinguish The collision caused a car fire that Chicago firefighters had to extinguish, according to Hall’s arrest report. — William Lee, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 Fireworks should also never be lit on windy days, and doused until fully extinguished. — Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 Two other fires just west of Kendall are nearly extinguished, including a 700-acre fire that was 95% contained and a 25-acre fire that was 80% contained, as of the last updates from the Forest Service. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026 Install one specific buffer this week that protects the behavior from being extinguished or twisted into belligerence. — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for extinguish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extinguish
  1. choke
  2. destroy
  3. shush
  4. quench
  5. demolish
  6. silence
  7. blanket
  8. ruin
Verb
  • After multiple attempts to stave off its death over the decades, it is being choked by the chains and cables meant to support it.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Their findings prompted bans on phosphorus-laden detergents that were supercharging algae blooms choking the Great Lakes.
    — Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of choke
Verb
  • Almost 50 homes and other structures have been destroyed so far; there have been several injuries, and one of Tibbetts’s neighbors lost 20 German shepherds.
    — Anya Kamenetz, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The flood then destroyed roads and knocked out power and phone networks, leaving families unable to establish even the most basic facts.
    — Laura Saravia, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • His interactions with Daemon (Matt Smith) last season, going so far as to shush him at one point, were a breath of fresh air.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • As the moment unfolded, Savannah shushed the future king and even briefly placed her hand over his mouth in an effort to keep him composed.
    — Staff Author, InStyle, 13 June 2026
Definition of shush
Verb
  • Through a blend of camellia alba, blue ginger, hyaluronic acid, and vitamins C and E, this antioxidant-rich mist delivers not only a refreshingly cool sensation, but ensures your skin is protected against antioxidants and quenched.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Footage aired by local media showed massive flames and fireballs erupting from the tank, with black and orange smoke rising in the sky as firefighters spray what appears to be foam or water in efforts to quench the intense fire.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of quench
Verb
  • Later demolished, the home sat directly across the street from a far more modern residence by a designer with ties to the Tao restaurant chain and the Venetian Las Vegas.
    — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 25 Aug. 2026
  • That then will allow the existing Willowcreek Middle School to be demolished.
    — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of demolish
Verb
  • Any talk of loaning the former Leicester City youngster out has been long since silenced by the speed of his development.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Prosecutors caught the elder Spitze helping his son contact four minor victims to try silencing them with gifts or orders to destroy evidence.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of silence
Verb
  • Even today, a quick glance at The Times’ library reveals an almost supernatural ability to blanket a beat.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • By mid-October, Toolik Lake will be frozen again, and snow and ice will begin to blanket the landscape.
    — Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of blanket
Verb
  • But if clouds ruin your view — or the moon is below the horizon at the time of the eclipse — there's no need to fret!
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The news of the relationship almost ruined the church, which quickly began hemorrhaging members.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of ruin

Browse Nearby Words

extinctions
extinguish
extinguishable
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Cite this Entry

“Extinguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extinguish. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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